Three Key Areas of Focus for the 78th United Nations General Assembly
Xinhua News Agency, United Nations, September 17
By Wang Jiangang, Xinhua News Agency Reporter
The 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly is set to commence its general debate on September 19th at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Esteemed heads of state, government leaders, and representatives from all 193 member states will share their national positions and propose solutions on crucial global issues, including promoting sustainable development goals, addressing the climate crisis, and improving the deteriorating security situation.
Given the current state of the world, the international community is eagerly anticipating practical and effective response measures from all nations. The main focuses of the general debate and associated high-level activities of this United Nations General Assembly session will be how to effectively promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, respond to the imminent climate change crisis, and uphold global peace and stability.
Renewing Momentum for Sustainable Development Goals
The United Nations’ “Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition” reveals that only 12% of the 169 specific goals are progressing as expected. Around half of the goals are making insufficient progress, while over 30% have stagnated or regressed.
Poor progress on the Sustainable Development Goals is a global challenge, compounded by the developmental obstacles faced by many countries, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Developing nations are grappling with heavy debt burdens, increasing poverty and hunger rates, and other pressing issues.
The Sustainable Development Goals Summit will be held from September 18th to 19th, where leaders will review the progress of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and its 17 goals. Furthermore, the High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Development will take place promptly thereafter, providing insights into transformative steps and political leadership required to achieve these goals.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for the Sustainable Development Goals Summit to become a unifying moment that breathes new life into the drive to achieve these goals.
Realizing the Sustainable Development Goals poses multiple complex challenges intertwined with climate disasters, political instability, global economic recessions, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, insufficient funding, social inequality, inadequate institutions and technology, underdeveloped countries, cultural factors, a lack of global cooperation, limited information and data, and short-sighted policies. During the general debate, leaders and representatives from various countries will also voice their opinions and provide potential solutions regarding financial system reform, debt relief, and development financing.
How the international community regains unity and revitalizes its ambition to achieve the 2030 Agenda will undoubtedly test the political wisdom and determination of leaders from across the globe.
Urgent Action on the Climate Crisis
The climate crisis poses an immediate global challenge, encompassing climate change and its wide-ranging environmental, social, and economic impacts, including rising temperatures, heatwaves, sea-level rise, extreme weather events, loss of biodiversity, and detrimental health effects.
Since assuming the position of United Nations Secretary-General, Guterres has consistently issued warnings about the climate crisis, highlighting its potential to undo years of progress in improving quality of life. This crisis stands as the most prominent global governance issue of our time, requiring urgent and more substantial action.
Between June and October last year, Pakistan experienced unparalleled heavy monsoon rains, resulting in historic floods covering nearly one-third of the country. This disaster served as a crucial reminder of the pressing need for climate change mitigation.
Addressing the climate crisis effectively can only be achieved through global cooperation, technological innovation, transforming consumption and production patterns, and raising public awareness. Despite numerous proposed solutions to climate change by world leaders, the crisis continues to escalate, with record-breaking high temperatures and increasingly frequent climate-related catastrophes. It is expected that more leaders from various countries will voice stronger and more resolute opinions on this issue directly linked to human survival.
Restoring Peace and Stability
In recent years, intensifying geopolitical competition, ideological opposition, and resource conflicts have left the international security landscape fragile.
As stated by the President of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Klosch, there are currently 27 armed conflicts worldwide, resulting in immeasurable human suffering. Conflict-related deaths have reached a 28-year high, and over 100 million people have been forcibly displaced globally.
Simultaneously, conflicts and unrest continue to plague many countries, with coup d’états occurring in multiple African nations and long-standing conflicts, such as the one in Syria, showing no signs of resolution. Mitigating geopolitical tensions, preventing conflicts, and addressing the root causes of these issues will be the primary focus for leaders from many nations.
In his farewell speech, Kotesi, the outgoing President of the United Nations General Assembly, stressed the indispensable nature of mutual cooperation between countries, asserting that humanity’s survival relies on the collaborative efforts of all nations. Secretary-General Guterres emphasized that cooperation remains the sole option in a world plagued by crises and deep divisions.
Original title: Three main focuses of the general debate of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly
Xinhua News Agency, United Nations, September 17
Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Jiangang
The general debate of the 78th United Nations General Assembly is scheduled to begin on the 19th at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Heads of state, heads of government and high-level representatives from the 193 member states of the United Nations will express their respective national positions and offer solutions on key issues such as promoting the sustainable development goals, responding to the climate crisis, and alleviating r the worsening security situation.
In view of the current world situation, the international community in general expects all countries to think of practical and effective response measures. How to effectively promote the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, how to respond to the impending climate change crisis, and how to maintain world peace and stability are the three main focuses of the general debate and related high-level activities of the session this of the United Nations General Assembly.
Sustainable development goals call for a new impetus
The “Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023: Special Edition” released by the United Nations shows that of the 169 specific goals, only 12% are making progress as expected, around half of the goals making insufficient progress, and more than 30% of the goals have stagnated or regressed. .
Poor progress on the Sustainable Development Goals is a global problem. In recent years, especially after the start of the COVID-19 epidemic, many countries have faced serious development challenges. Many developing countries are facing pressures such as heavy debt burdens and rising poverty and hunger.
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Summit will take place from the 18th to the 19th. The meeting will review the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and provide high-level insights into the transformative and rapid steps and taken to achieve the goals, political leadership. The High Level Dialogue on Financing for Development will be held shortly thereafter.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, said: “The Sustainable Development Goals Summit must become a moment of global unity, giving new impetus and accelerating action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals faces multiple complex and interrelated challenges, including climate disasters, political instability and conflict, global economic recession, the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic, insufficient funding, inequality, inadequate institutions, inadequate technology, and socially underdeveloped countries. and cultural factors, insufficient global cooperation, lack of information and data, short-sighted policies, etc.
During the general debate of this session of the United Nations General Assembly, leaders and high-level representatives from different countries will also express their views and offer solutions on financial system reform, debt relief, development financing and other issues.
The manner in which the international community unites and revives its ambition to realize the 2030 Agenda will be a great test of the political wisdom and determination of the leaders of different countries.
Tackling the climate crisis is urgent
The climate crisis is an urgent global issue relating to climate change and its wide-ranging environmental, social and economic impacts, including rising temperatures and heat waves, rising sea levels, extreme weather, loss of biodiversity and health effects.
Since taking office as Secretary General of the United Nations, Guterres has issued frequent warnings about the climate crisis. He has said that the effects of climate could reverse many of the gains made in improving the quality of life over the past few decades, The climate crisis is the most characteristic global governance problem of the present age, and more powerful action is needed and urgent
Between June and October last year, Pakistan experienced unprecedented heavy monsoon rains, with historic floods covering nearly a third of the country. This disaster once again reminds the international community of the urgent need to fight climate change.
All countries can only respond effectively to the climate crisis by joining hands and making joint efforts through global cooperation, technological innovation, transformation of consumption and production patterns, and raising public awareness. Although global leaders have proposed many solutions to climate change over the years, the climate crisis has not yet been significantly alleviated. At a time when high temperature records are being broken in many parts of the world and climate disasters are becoming more frequent, it is expected that the leaders of more countries will express stronger and clearer views on this issue which is directly related to survival human
The restoration of peace and tranquility is urgent
In recent years, increasingly fierce geopolitical competition, ideological opposition, and competition for resources have made the international security situation fragile.
The President of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Klosch said on July 24 that there are currently 27 armed conflicts around the world that continue to bring disaster to lives. The number of conflict-related deaths has reached the highest level in 28 years , and more than 100 million people worldwide have been forcibly displaced.
At the same time, conflict and turmoil continue in many countries, coups have occurred in many African countries, and there is still no end to the conflict in Syria and other countries. How to ease geopolitical tensions, prevent conflict, and fundamentally solve problems will undoubtedly be the focus of many countries’ leaders.
In his farewell speech, Kolesi said that mutual cooperation between countries is indispensable, and the survival of mankind depends on the cooperation of all countries. Guterres stressed: “In a world full of crises and serious divisions, cooperation is the only option.”
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